The Viega PEX lawsuit was a nationwide class action, Verdejo v. Vanguard Piping Systems, Inc., over yellow brass plumbing fittings sold under the Viega and Vanguard names that corroded from the inside out through a process called dezincification. The Los Angeles Superior Court granted final approval on September 17, 2014, and the settlement gave property owners a 16-year limited warranty, reimbursement for repairs and damage, and a $250 cash payment for owners in certain states.{1Top Class Actions. Vanguard Viega Piping Class Action Settlement Checks Arriving}
Why the Fittings Failed
The fittings were made from yellow brass alloys containing 15 percent or more zinc, including UNS C3600 and C37700.{2PR Newswire. Proposed Settlement of Class Action Relating to Vanguard and Viega Brand Brass Plumbing Components} In contact with potable water, zinc leached out of the alloy over time. What was left behind was a weakened, porous, copper-rich metal that could crack or lose its seal on the PEX tubing.{3SageWater. Yellow Brass}
Two failure patterns showed up in homes. Zinc oxide built up inside fittings and restricted water flow, sometimes clogging fixtures. In worse cases, the corroded metal gave way and produced leaks inside walls or full fitting separations that flooded the property.{4Trace Inspections. Dezincification of Brass PEX Fittings} External warning signs, when they appeared at all, were a chalky white crust or blue-green staining around a connection. Chlorine and chloramine in municipal water, pH extremes, and high dissolved oxygen sped the process up.
Who Was Covered
The class covered anyone in the United States who owned, or had previously owned, a building or home containing Viega or Vanguard brass fittings made from alloys with 15 percent or more zinc, used in potable water plumbing.{2PR Newswire. Proposed Settlement of Class Action Relating to Vanguard and Viega Brand Brass Plumbing Components} Two subclasses got extra benefits. Owners in Clark County, Nevada received a longer 19-year warranty. Current residential owners in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wyoming were eligible for a $250 cash payment per home under a “Useful Life Subclass.”{5Top Class Actions. Vanguard Piping Class Action Lawsuit Settlement}
Insurance carriers that had paid claims for a leak or fitting occlusion before June 20, 2014 were also included.{2PR Newswire. Proposed Settlement of Class Action Relating to Vanguard and Viega Brand Brass Plumbing Components}
What the Settlement Provided
Three forms of relief were available to class members.
- A limited warranty covering dezincification-related failures, meaning leaks or restricted water flow, for 16 years from installation. Clark County properties got 19 years.
- Reimbursement of documented costs for past eligible repairs, materials and labor to fix property damage from an eligible failure, replacement of other damaged property, and reasonable temporary housing expenses.
- A $250 cash payment per residence for the Useful Life Subclass.{}5Top Class Actions. Vanguard Piping Class Action Lawsuit Settlement
Claim Deadlines
Claims were administered by Kurtzman Carson Consultants through VerdejoSettlement.com.{1Top Class Actions. Vanguard Viega Piping Class Action Settlement Checks Arriving} The one-time deadlines have passed: Useful Life Subclass claims were due July 10, 2015, and general claims for failures before July 10, 2014 were due January 6, 2015. Claims for fitting failures on or after July 10, 2014 must be submitted within 180 days of the failure, so newer failures can still be reported if the 16-year warranty period from installation has not run out.{5Top Class Actions. Vanguard Piping Class Action Lawsuit Settlement}
If Your Fittings Are Not Viega
The Verdejo settlement covers only Viega and Vanguard brass fittings. The same yellow brass corrosion problem drove separate class actions against other manufacturers, each with its own settlement and claims process. Zurn’s F1807 fittings, stamped “QPEX,” “Q PEX,” or “Z PEX” and sold for residential use from roughly 1996 to 2010, resolved in a $20 million settlement.{6ClassAction.org. PEX Plumbing Lawsuit} Kitec’s PEX-AL-PEX system, installed from the late 1990s through 2007, had its own class action settlement.{} NIBCO’s F1807 fittings, used through the 2000s and into 2012, were also the subject of litigation over premature failures.{4Trace Inspections. Dezincification of Brass PEX Fittings} Check the stamp on your fittings before assuming which case, if any, applies.